11-Sep-2002 -- Shortly after departure from Natal (NE Brazil) to the Rio de La Plata (Argentina) we received already an e-mail from our local shipping agent in Buenos Aires, with whom I am on friendly terms since many years:

"HOLA CAPITÁN PETER, BIEN RECIBIDO TU MENSAJE, GRACIAS Y BIENVENIDO UNA OTRA VEZ EN ARGENTINA. PRACTICO PARA RIO DE LA PLATA EMBARQUERÁ EN POSICIÓN 35-00S / 56-00W. SALUDOS, GABRIEL."

(Hi, Captain Peter, your message well received an welcome again in Argentina. Pilot for La Plata River will embark in position 35-00S / 56-00W. Regards, Gabriel.)

35-00S / 56-00W! This looks very "confluential", we thought.

But visitng this confluence is linked with a few inconveniences:

First of all it is night. We picked up the pilot at 02:00 hrs a.m. And therefore we cannot submit anything else than Montevideo by night.

Then it is an attempt only. We were on the best way to the confluence, but a few metres before reaching the 100-metres range the pilot boat had suddenly shifted its position, and at 120 metres off the confluence we had to alter course and proceed to its actual position, a little farther South than 35°00'.

The scenery on the radar shows the coastal feature around Montevideo. The centre is the ship's position. In the Northwest there is Cape Punta Brava, the various dots with these blueish trails are other ships in the area, and the small dots South and Southwest of the ship are the buoys of the channel up the Rio de La Plata.

We hope, however, to be able to submit a daylight visit when leaving the area again.